Strawberries

Picture this: a world without fresh strawberries, watermelon or apples. Pretty gloomy, right? Thankfully, we have bees and other pollinators who are responsible for the fertilization of many fruits, vegetables and nuts.

The first economist, Scotland’s Adam Smith, had it right almost 250 years ago, as writer Eric Schlosser notes in the foreword of an important new book by Iowan Austin Frerick.

April is the perfect time to get to work on your home garden.

Ten years, 2,500 stories, thousands of photos, hundreds of blogs — and it’s just the beginning of my career as an agricultural journalist.

Indiana Farm Bureau members volunteer each year to teach nearly 60,000 students in pre-K through 12th grade about agriculture.

The 2023 Indiana Farm Bureau Book of the Year is “I LOVE Strawberries!” — a book about a girl’s love for the fruit and her journey to learn more about growing it.

Get ready to pick some juicy, ripe strawberries. National Pick Strawberries Day is May 20, and it’s the perfect opportunity to enjoy some fresh air, sunshine and delicious fruit.

Nice to see the pasture turning green. We recently returned from northern Georgia, where they have already planted sweet corn. They were also ready to cut the first crop of hay. Strawberries were ready for picking, which my granddaughter really enjoyed.

Cathy Lafrenz started a pick-your-own flower business on her small farm in 2002. Miss Effie’s Country Flowers is located on Lafrenz’s two-acre farm near Donahue, Iowa.

Florida’s citrus, fruit and vegetable crops appear to have escaped any widespread damage from some of the coldest weather in years, officials with state growers associations said.

The success of fruit production hinges heavily on employee availability. When the fruit is ready, it must be picked. Sager Farms, a long-time, family-owned orchard in southern Illinois, found itself in a troublesome predicament this past fall ahead of the apple harvest.

Sitting atop Illinois’ own version of the “continental divide” is a farm that’s been providing fresh fruits to customers for decades.

There’s no question that folks today have a real hunger to understand where their food comes from, and the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture is filling plates with books, resources and experiences for learners of all ages.

Providing the opportunity for people to visit a farm is one of the passions for Triple M Farm: Mariah’s Mums & More. “We’re passionate about getting people out here firsthand to see we’re growing quality, safe products and to create experiences,” said Mariah Anderson.

When Fulton High School students return to school, they’ll be greeted by a garden in bloom and full of fresh, organic and colorful fruits and vegetables.

Customers have traveled to the McCann Berry Farm for several decades to pick blueberries. “Forty years ago next Tuesday we bought this property that is 38 acres with 20-some acres of tillable land,” said Bob McCann, who owns McCann Berry Farm together with his wife, Mary.

I’m obsessed with fresh strawberries right now. Sweet to the taste and bright red to the eye, this luscious berry can be tossed into just about anything to turn an ordinary meal into a celebration.

May is National Strawberry month, and on May 21 we celebrate National Strawberries and Cream Day, bringing together two favorites: fresh ripe strawberries and homemade whipped cream.

The University of Illinois Extension 2021 Southern Illinois Summer Twilight Series started off on a sweet note as guests interested in strawberry production and plasticulture gathered at Flamm Orchards.

While late April brings to mind thoughts of warm weather, blooming flowers and summer waiting in the wings, a late-season snow left local orchards working to protect their crops.

Sore shoulders, aching backs and stiff knees are all too familiar for folks who work on farms. Bending in a stooped position is unpleasant for workers, including Richard Barnes, who raises you-pick and ready-picked berries at Tanglewood Berry Farm in Fort Wayne.